Greetings from Beals Island
I’m back from a splendid visit to Beals Elementary School on Beals Island, Maine with the wonderful Island Readers and Writers program. I love seeing art on the walls upon arrival! These incredible dioramas were created by Laura Fish’s eighth grade students for permanent display. Beals is reached by a bridge from Jonesport, about four hours Down East from Portland, Maine. I met students from pre-K through eighth grade in the gym when Principal Christopher Crowley introduced the project: to create art and text for a story walk on the school grounds! I began with a slide show,...
Read MoreArt Expedition
I followed my daughter, Daisy, last week to another World Languages Art Expedition Kick-off at King Middle School in Portland. I first participated as a visiting artist in 2009 when she was a sixth-grader there. It was like old times heading to the bus from the 7:15 ferry. The language arts project asks 8th grade students studying Spanish or French to choose a Spanish or French artist to research and then create written and visual work based on that artist. In 2011, Daisy did this animation inspired by the art of Marc Boutavant. She’s now a senior sculpture major at Maryland Institute...
Read MoreBright Horizons
I traveled last week to a Boston area Bright Horizons. I made an evening presentation to early childhood educators about illustrating picture books and how visual literacy and drawing engages children. I always bring ample materials for discussion! The Riverpark Center’s Lead Teacher in Kindergarten Prep, Julie, helped me set up my table of books, art supplies, and props. While kids and parents were departing, I checked out the colorful rooms filled with stimulating shapes and textures. After talking about writing and illustrating Seven Days of Daisy, and answering questions, I...
Read MoreSummer Days of Daisy
Summers in Maine are heavenly. If we could bottle them, we would. Here’s my capture of the fleeting flavors we tasted. Now that our daughter is back in Baltimore, it helps to reflect on what a Daisy-full time we had. Beginning with our trip to Ireland, we are thankful for family. There’s been togetherness and also departures. Here Daisy heads off to visit her beau, which involved a ferry, an Uber, a train, and another ride. There was fog. And more fog. Ferries vanishing. Fog veiled the shore of Long Island during our Father’s Day picnic. Daisy saw plenty of sun hanging out...
Read MoreStory & Craft
This summer my cup runneth over with kidlit elixirs. I was pleased as punch to share in one of Pat Crowley Rockwell’s Story and Craft adventures at the Peaks Island library. She is an esteemed educator, the Assistant Principal at King Middle School, and a passionate advocate of children’s books and reading to kids. She featured A Porcupine’s Promenade by Lyn Smith, how could I not join in? After she read the story, I shared my little pencil dummy and showed one of the original drawings. Kids like to touch the rough sanded paper I use for my pastels. Plus, Pat’s...
Read MoreBook Friends
Way back in 2009, I visited the Friends School of Portland to read my first children’s book, Seven Days of Daisy. Friends do make the world go ’round. Fast forward to a recent sunny Tuesday, when I headed off island to visit their Stories by the Forest program. When I arrived at the Peaks Island dock, it was oddly quiet. Where is everybody? Well, yours truly had missed the boat! The summer schedule change got me! So, I promptly called the trusty water taxi. Here she comes, zipping across a placid Casco Bay. I made it to Cumberland Foreside in a timely manner and set up my table...
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